Second Incarnation: the Portalkeeper
by Lady GreyWolf
Summary: A wizard in Valinor gets a message through a dream, and calls for help through the fire. Thousand lightyears' away a young girl wakes up. Also check out the trailer on YouTube: username is theHowlingWolf
1. Prologue

"Gandalf!"

Who called his name? Before his eyes were a bright, golden light, but by some reason, he didn't get dazzle.

"Gandalf!"

A shadow approached, the shadow of a woman, the owner of the voice. She got closer, but the light was so strong that he couldn't see her face.

"Gandalf", she said, and stopped before him.

"Who are you?" he managed to say.

"The portals has sprung open", the woman answered. "The time has come."

"The portals?" he whispered. "What do you mean?"

"You need help", the woman continued, without taking notice of his question.

"Help?" he whispered. The woman nodded.

"You need help."

"Help… help!"

He opened his eyes. Everything looked as it should in the room; the fire still burned, his brother Nevyn was asleep in the other bed, his own clothes and weapons were on their hook. With a shiver he sat up, and rubbed his face. It was a long time ago since he had watched himself in a mirror; the queen had taken everything that could be useful for her. Also the magic. The wizard walked over to the bonfire with a grim expression on his face, and put in a new log. Then he sat down, and watched the flames dancing. From the pocket of his coat, he took out a long pipe, which he filled with pipe-weed. Slowly he blew one of his famous, blue rings, before he sighed and lowered the pipe.

"Help", he mumbled. "Freedom, we need help. Can you hear me? Freedom?"

Thousands light-years' away, a young girl woke up with a gasp.


	2. The Door in the Corpse

"You look tired, Sandra

"You look tired, Sandra."

The fifteen year old girl yawned, and stretched herself.

"I had such a weird dream", she mumbled. Her mother shook her head.

"You have too much fantasy, young lady", she said seriously, and placed a hand on her daughter's forehead. "Still fever. Control how much you've got, so we'll know if the treatment works."

"Yea, I know", Sandra muttered, and put her feet into the slippers made of wool, before she flung the purple dressing gown on and followed her mother out to the kitchen. Her two younger sisters were already eating.

"Are you sick?" the youngest one asked.

"Sandra has very sensitive sinuses, Alice, and if she gets a cold it often results in a sinusitis", their mother answered, just as she and Sandra sat down at the table. Sandra's two year younger sister, Lilith, sat in front of her with her nose in some horse magazine.

"How's it going?" she asked.

"The horse has been stolen", Lilith muttered.

"No, not that", Sandra sighed. "I mean with Dustin."

Lilith put down the magazine, and looked irritated at her sister.

"He's as irritating as usual", she answered shortly.

"Why don't you tell him to leave you alone?" Sandra asked, and received the tea from her mother.

"Don't you think I've tried?" Lilith groaned. "He's after me anyway!"

"Tell him you're busy", Sandra suggested.

"With who?" Lilith muttered. "No one except Dustin can imagine being with me."

"Make up someone", Sandra suggested. "Someone you met during the spring vacation. After all, we were away then."

Lilith sat silent for a while, before she smiled.

"A tall guy with a pale, sharp face, grey eyes, short, blond hair that stands out in every direction, and a good sense of vogue."

"What personality has he?" Sandra asked, and took a bite from her sandwich.

"He's… cool", Lilith answered.

"Nothing more?" Sandra asked. "Does he see you like a friend, or are you just there to entertain him? Does he help people, or does he ignore them?"

"Who cares?" Lilith said, and shrugged her shoulders. Then she rose from the table.

"He's cool, that's all."

"Let your sister be, now", their mother said, and put her hand on Sandra's shoulder. "She can't ignore a boy like you can."

That was true. Sandra had learned to oppress her feelings for boys, which had made it easier for her to cooperate with them. She had noticed that several in her new class, a music-class, wanted to know the secret behind it. Her answered had always been one word; power. Inside her was a power that had helped her to oppress her feelings, such as pain and love. As usual, it was just one of her fantasies, but it worked as an explanation to her work. Just like that ring she used to talk about, specially with the girl in the class who was a little bit excluded. As soon as someone helped her, gave her a friendly compliment or something like that, Sandra said that they had 'come out of the ring'.

"Sandra?"

She looked up. Her mother stood in the door, ready to go.

"Remind Lilith to bring Alice swimsuit, 'right?"

Sandra nodded, and her mother said good bye. Since Lilith for the moment was on a school a hundred meters from Alice's, she had the commission to leave her on the way. Sandra took a new bite of her sandwich, and unfolded the newspaper. It was as usual; critic against USA, the pollution, everything that came up in _the Daily News_. First when she came to the page with domestic-news, she stopped. With big letters on the top of the page it said **MYSTICAL DOOR OPENED IN NORWICH**. As she read on, she realised that the place were the mystical door had opened up was out on the common land, a hundred meters north of their house. She shuddered. First these weird dreams, were people she didn't know called for help, and now this; a mystical door a hundred meters away from her home. That she also was sick didn't help too much.

"Sandra?"

Lilith stood with Alice in one hand in the door.

"We're going now", she said. "Can you lock the door later?"

"Sure", Sandra said in a low voice. "Did you remember the swimsuit?"

"Alice has nagged about them all morning, so it was hard to forget", Lilith answered with a grin, before she and Alice went out the door. The silence fell over the house, as Sandra ate the rest of her breakfast. She didn't feel too sick. The fever had probably sunken. Maybe she should go and see that door? It would give her some fresh air, and she might also find out what this mystical door was, which could be exciting. With a low sigh she rose from the table, and began to clear the table.

Ten minutes later, she walked out the door and locked it behind herself. Then she walked away towards the common land. Polices were seen everywhere, like the media and curious neighbours.

"How's the investigation going? What door is it? Where does it lead? Has we at last been heard by God? Is this the end of the world?"

The questions were flung at the poor polices, who hardly got to say a word. Sandra climbed up the lower part of the railing, and looked out on the common land. It looked as usual.

"You!"

A police in his thirties walked over to her.

"Stay away, these are dangerous things", he said seriously. Sandra raised one of her eyebrows.

"I can't see any door", she said, just as serious as the police. "Did people lie about it?"

"No, they didn't", the police answered shortly. "You see that copse? In the middle of it, there are two trees, and their branches form something that looks like a gateway. If you throw something in between them… it disappears."

"How was it discovered?" Sandra asked.

"Hey, are you some kind of a freelancer or something?" the police asked harshly. "'Cause I wont answer any questions for the media."

"No, I live in the house away there."

She pointed, and the police nodded.

"What is your name, then?" he asked. "Why aren't you in school?"

"My name is Sandra Liberty Roberts", Sandra answered. "Since some days ago I've had a sinusitis, so I had to stay at home. Now the fever is beginning to sink, so I can go out and walk a little bit. What's your name?"

"Constable Atwood", the police answered. "Lincoln Atwood."

He reached out his hand, and Sandra shook it with a smile.

"So, how was the door discovered?" she asked.

"Some guys were out yesterday afternoon, and they went up to the copse. Evidently they had some Coke with them, and one of them didn't want to bring the plastic bottle home. He threw it right between the trees, and it disappeared in the air, just below the branches."

"Sound like a magical story to me", Sandra said, and looked at the copse. Something told her that it all had a connection with her dreams.

"Can I go to the copse and look?" she asked after a while.

"Go to the copse and look?" Atwood exclaimed. "Are you mad?"

"Some say so, yes", Sandra answered.

"The area is blocked", the constable said a while later. "I can't let you walk up there."

"Is the whole common land blocked?" Sandra asked, surprised. Atwood didn't answer; he just went back to his colleges. Sandra looked after him, before she jumped down from the railing and went back to her house.

As she reached the door, she opened it, and closed it. Then she jumped down from the stairs, and crept away to the back of the house. Thanks to her love of nature, she knew that the forest behind her house lead all the way to the common land, and there were also a broken part of the railing. She could manage to get there. Now when Atwood thought she had gone home, he wouldn't keep watching for her. Silently she moved into the forest, and found her way through the trees. She saw the common land on her left side, some meters away, behind its railing. Some minutes later, she found the hole in the railing. She got through, and stood behind one of the trees in the edge of the wood. Her only chance was to run as fast as she could, straight to the copse. It was some fifty meters away. The police had to run twice as long, if they saw her. Maybe she would have the time to examine the place before they came. She took a deep breath, bade silently to some God or Goddess, before she ran out the forest. It felt like she was flying forward over the grass. She thought she had never run so fast. A way behind her she heard a whistle, but she didn't stop to see if they came after her. She continued to run; up the hill were the copse lay and straight to the trees. Now, she stood a meter in front of them. She heard steps behind her, and turned around. Two polices ran up the hill, and a third one was coming. She started to back.

"Stop, you're breaking the law!" one of them said breathless.

"You can back, we'll have you soon", the other one continued. Sandra took another step backwards. The third police came up the hill, just as the two others took two big steps forward.

"Don't back!" the third one roared, frightened. Sandra took another step backwards, and disappeared in front of the police. The last one stared at the empty spot.

"What the hell did you just do?" he exclaimed.

"How could we know she would back?" one of the others said irritated.

"I should have known she would go up here. She was so curious."

"Atwood, children are always curious", one of his friends said. "Come on, let's go."

He and the other police went away, back to the railing, but Atwood stayed.

"She wasn't just a child", he mumbled.


	3. The Woman's Sword

First she thought that she had fallen and lay on the ground

First she thought that she had fallen and lay on the ground. Then she realised that there was no grass where she lay. Had she dreamt everything, and just fallen out of her bed? No, her floor didn't feel like this. Irritated 'cause she couldn't find the answer, she opened her eyes, and got blinded by the strong, white light that shone through a hole in the ceiling. She closed her eyes, rolled to her side and looked again. She was at the brink of some dam, filled with water lilies that float on the clear water. Slowly she got to her knees, and put her fingertips in the water. The water rings spread over the dam, and made the lilies bob on the small waves. The feeling of the cold water told her she didn't dream. She had fallen through the door. She discovered the next proof shortly after that. Stuck in the stems of the lilies was a plastic Coke-bottle.

On the side of the dam where she was, there was just the brink where she sat. No door, no way around. She had to swim through the dam to get away from there. Hopefully, she wouldn't get stuck in the stems, like the bottle. Carefully, she took of her shoes and stood bare feet on the brink. The white light warmed her, and she wondered if she would get a chock when she got into the cold water. At last, she took a deep breath and put one of her feet in the water. It didn't sink. Surprised she pushed with it, and when nothing happened, she tried to pull it up again. It was stuck. Scared she got to her knees, and tried to see what held her. There was nothing but water. She felt the panic approaching, just as she pulled even harder. Her ankle ached, and she realised that she couldn't pull the foot free without pulling it of her leg. She tried to calm her pounding heart, before the panic took over.

"Help! Please, help me! Help!

Far away in the giant castle, two men and one woman walked through the corridor. The short woman's wrinkled face looked solemnly at the great hall before them, the tall man with long, silvery hair and beard did the same. It was the man in the middle, the man without any hair on his head, who suddenly wrinkled his forehead.

"Tibor", he said in a low voice. The other man stopped, and looked at him.

"Accompany Yan Lin to the hall, meet up with the W.I.T.C.H and get Orube to the Hall of Scent", the man continued. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Oracle, according to the message Orube is very bad wounded", Tibor said solemnly. "She needs your help."

"I can feel something else, and the wind tells me that I can't ignore it", the Oracle answered, before he turned and went back the same way they had come. Tabor and Yan Lin looked surprised after him, before they continued to the hall.

The Oracle still wondered why he had turned. He had heard an unfamiliar voice, a voice that called for help. It wasn't like him to care about it, at least not now when Orube was injured. Orube, who he saw as his own daughter. Why hadn't he been able to ignore that voice? He shook his head, before he suddenly stopped. Before him was the door to his own meditation-room. The corridor was deserted on both sides, this was the Hall of the Oracle, where you only should come if it was necessary. Why had he stopped here? No one could be there by now.

"Help!"

The voice came from inside the meditation-room. The Oracle snatched by surprise. He had been wrong. Silently he stood outside the door, uncertain of what he should do, before he placed his hand on it and made it slide open. On the other side of the meditation-dam was a girl in her younger teens. One of her legs where stuck in the magical water. She tried to pull it up, but it slowly sank more and more. The Oracle slowly raised his hand.

"Release her!" he said in a high voice. The water immediately slipped away, and the girl yanked her leg up on the brink, before she looked up on him. She shivered, but the eyes showed no fear. The Oracle could only remember one person with the same expression, but this wasn't her.

"T-thank you", she shuttered.

"What are you doing here?" the Oracle asked solemnly.

"I… I fell in between some trees, and ended up here", the girl answered.

"You mean a portal", the Oracle said. The girl looked surprised.

"I didn't know they existed", she said calmly.

"They exist, to a great extent", the Oracle answered. "If you excuse me, I have some things to take care of."

"Wait!"

The Oracle, who had turned around, stopped.

"How… how do I get away from here?" the girl asked.

"Use the portal", the Oracle answered.

"I don't know how to do that."

The Oracle turned again. He had to make a decision. He could send her back home, or let her come with him. The girl's face didn't tell him what she wanted. Her thoughts were blocked, and her carriage didn't tell him anything else than 'You decide'. After a while, he sighed.

"Come with me, then."

"How do I get over the dam?" the girl asked.

"The water won't harm you anymore", the Oracle answered. "You can walk."

The girl wrinkled her forehead in surprise, before she placed one foot on the surface. With a gasp, she realised that it was as solid as the floor she had stood on before, and like a child that just learned how to walk, she carefully got to the other side.

"Thanks again", she said when she was on the right side of the dam. Then she stroked away a golden-blond lock of her hair, and smiled towards him.

"I'm Sandra Roberts", she said, and reached out her hand. He didn't take it.

"The Oracle of Candracar."

She took back her hand, and nodded solemnly.

"Shall we go?" he asked. She nodded again, and followed him out through the door.

Sandra could hardly believe her eyes. It was a castle, built in some mystical, white stone. There were fountains everywhere, windows that showed a sea of clouds. After a while they passed some creatures, no humans, creatures from other worlds.

"It's wonderful", she whispered. The Oracle didn't listen to her. He was even more mystical than this place. After a while, he turned into a short corridor, and opened a high door by placing his hand on it. Inside were four girls, all dressed in green and pink with wings on their backs. Before them was a fifth girl, dressed in white and pink. Sandra saw that she was injured.

"Tibor, where's Yan Lin?" the Oracle asked an older man with long, white beard and hair.

"She went away to meditate, Oracle", the man answered. "Who's the girl?"

"She fell through a portal in my meditation-room", the Oracle answered in a low voice. Tibor wrinkled his forehead in surprise.

"I will help her, as soon as I've helped Orube", the Oracle continued. "You can go, now."

Tibor made a slight bow, before walking past Sandra out through the door. The four girls and the Oracle sank to their knees at the injured one's side. Sandra stayed at the door, at a loss.

"Is there anything you can do, Oracle?" a black-haired girl with an Asian face asked.

"This is strange", the Oracle mumbled, without answering the question. "It's like Orube's not here."

"Well, I can not say that she's ever been normal, but…" a brown-haired girl began, before a red-haired one gave her a nudge in the side. The last girl, a blond one, tried not to laugh. Then the girl in front of them opened her eyes, turned around and send a wave of power towards the Oracle. He flew away, and landed with a thud on the floor. Sandra snatched, and stared at the girl's eyes. They were pale white!

"What the hell are you doing?" the brown-haired girl yelled, and got to her feet.

"Don't hurt her!" the Oracle called out, and got to his elbows.

"Do as he says, Irma!" the red-haired one yelled. "Orube do not know what she's doing!"

Irma didn't care about them, she send a power of water towards Orube, who easily send it back. The four girls stood against its power, but only just.

"She knows very well what she's doing, Will!" Irma spit out. "I'm going to…"

"No, we'll attack her with our _weakest _powers," Will, the red-haired one, interrupted resolute.

"Don't get in between me and the Oracle, if you doesn't want to be harmed", Orube said with a grin. Sandra shuddered by her voice. Something wasn't right. Without really knowing what she was doing, she stepped forward and stood between the Oracle and Orube. Diagonally in front of her was the Asian girl, who Orube suddenly threw up in the air.

"Say hi to your friends from me!" she laughed, and threw the girl through the air. Sandra looked angrily at Orube.

"Move", Orube hissed.

"Make me", Sandra spit out. Deep inside herself, she wondered what the hell she was doing. She had seen what had happened to the other girls. They had powers, which she definitely didn't have, and still they'd been defeated. She needed something that could help her. A quick glance around the room told her that nothing was within reach. Suddenly, her eyes stopped at a painting. A young woman in a shimmering white cloak held a long, broad-bladed sword in her hand. What if she had something like that! Slowly she raised her hand, as if she really held a sword, and imagined that she felt the leather-band on the hold. She felt its weight and its… heat? Astonished she stared at her hand, and realised the sword was there.


	4. Through the Universe's Door

Orube got closer, her eyes shone along with the grin

Orube got closer, her eyes shone along with the grin. Sandra remembered what the Oracle had begged them about; do not hurt Orube. How could she save him and at the same time not hurt her opinion?

"See the truth, Will!"

The voice came from the blond girl. She had grabbed Will by the arm, and looked at Orube and Sandra.

"It isn't Orube!"

The words echoed in Sandra's head, just as Orube threw herself over her.

"Back, your devil!" Sandra roared, without thinking, and placed the broadside of the sword against Orube's chest. Orube was flung backwards, but was quickly on her feet again.

"You'll only lose power by that, human", she hissed, and rushed forward.

"It's Orube's body, but inside it's Yua. She controls her!"

The blond girl's voice made Sandra fix her eyes at Orube's diaphragm.

"Go away, Yua!" she roared, and pushed the sword forward. At the same time, the power of the four others flew into Orube's back, and pushed her forward. The sword in Sandra's hand gloomed by some magical force, before it sent out a wave of fire over Orube. She screamed, and was flung into the air. Sandra stared at her, like the four other girls. They could all see how a grey smoke rose from Orube, before the body sank down onto the ground. Sandra looked frightened at her when she didn't move. Had she killed her? The Asian girl hurried to Orube's side.

"Is she… is she…"

Sandra couldn't say what she wanted to. She was afraid that the answer would be a yes. The girl sank down next to Orube.

"She's alive", she said, relieved. Sandra breathed out, and dropped the sword. It turned to smoke when it reached the floor, and for a moment she wondered if she had really used it.

"Nice work", Irma grinned, and came up to Sandra. "Your powers are huge!"

"It wasn't my powers", Sandra calmly said. "The sword did the work."

"What sword?" Irma said, very surprised. Sandra stared at her. Hadn't they seen it? The sword had been there, in her hand, she had felt it.

"Guardians, go home."

The voice came from the Oracle, who now had got to his feet. The girls looked surprised at each other, before helping Orube onto her feet and then disappeared. Sandra turned to the Oracle.

"Why did you send them home?" she asked, surprised.

"You do not have to question that", the Oracle answered.

"At least you could have thanked them!"

Sandra felt how the anger began to boil inside of her, but the Oracle stood calmly at the same place.

"It was you who saved me", he finally said.

"Without them you would've been _dead_", Sandra snapped. She wondered why she couldn't control the anger. She had managed to do that since she was about ten-twelve years, so why didn't it work now, when she soon would turn fifteen?

"Calm down", the Oracle said, still calm.

"I wish I could", Sandra muttered, and fisted her hands. Then she relaxed, before fisting them again. It didn't work.

"We have to find out how the portal opened", the Oracle said. Sandra snatched, and the anger was replaced by surprise. The portal? Yes, that's right, the one she'd fallen through. He wanted to help her home now, right?

"I have no idea", she finally said, and crossed her arms over the chest. "Isn't there anyone who might have opened it?"

"There is one possibility, not more", the Oracle answered. He nodded towards the painting on the wall, and Sandra wrinkled her forehead. Was the woman on the painting the only possibility?

"The woman you're watching is Freedom, the queen of Valinor", the Oracle explained. "Freedom is the only Portalkeeper, and only a little of her gift transfers to her descendants. Only with her permission, a portal can be opened."

"Would she open a portal to this place?" Sandra wondered, and looked at the Oracle. He stood silent for a while.

"No."

The answer was short and undoubtedly. He was sure. Sandra sighed, and looked at the woman. The sword seemed to gloom in her hand.

"We have to get you away from here, so that you can return to your normal life", the Oracle said after a while. "Since we do not know how the portal works from here, we have to use the The Universe's Door."

He pushed the door open, and walked out. Sandra followed him, and side by side they hurried through the corridors of the huge castle. Finally, the Oracle stopped. A high door in white rose before them.

"When you walk through this door, you have to focus very hard on your home", the Oracle said. "It's the only way for you to get away. Do not think about anything else, just your home."

"How will I feel when I walk through it?" Sandra asked.

"As if you're dreaming", the Oracle answered. Sandra nodded, and inside she built up the picture of her block, the common land and the copse. The Oracle pushed the door open, and she stepped inside. Just as it closed behind her, she heard the call again.

"Help!"

She looked around in the white mist. The picture of the block disappeared, and a deep darkness sank around her. Then came the cold, she froze in the sudden wind. Then, she heard screams, and the sound of metal against metal. She felt something warm on her left arm, and saw red drops falling from above. Fresh blood. The screams were closer now. More blood fell from the invisible sky. Or was it the sky? She had no clue. The screams rang in her ears, she was in the middle of chaos. And then, silence. The blood disappeared. Instead, there was light. A shining light, right in front of her. It was shaped like a doorway, and she stepped through it. The darkness surrounded her once again. She heard voices, arguing.

"Olórin, there is no hope", the first one said.

"The Guardian has talked to me several times now, she tells me that we need help", the other one, Olórin, said. He sounded very irritated.

"How do you know that it was a Guardian? What if it was Andernilwen?"

"Andernilwen do not surround herself with the Golden Fire, her very soul would die", Olórin answered. "We have to take the risk, my brother, we have to open a portal."

"None of us is the Portalkeeper", the first one sighed. "We wouldn't be able to handle the power. I only know the words that makes a portal open; _as the Portalkeeper, I command you, portal of the West, to open up_."

The voices disappeared, but the man's words rang in Sandra's ears. What if she could open a portal by saying those words? Maybe she would then be able to get home. She concentrated once again on her home, but no pictures came up. Instead, she saw a snow-covered land before her, and the cold wind came back. She floated over the snow, and discovered blood-prints in it, outside the houses. On some places there were also bodies. Sandra shivered. It was horrible. Who would let anything like this happen? Somehow, she knew the answer; Andernilwen. She had no clue about who this Andernilwen was, but she wanted to help the land she floated over. Even though this would mean that she would die. The darkness came back, but now she wasn't worried. Instead she was resolute, and felt how she made motions with her hands.

"As the Portalkeeper, I command you, portal of the West, to…"

She composed herself, pulled back the hands and then threw them forwards.

"Open up!"

A white light surrounded her, before she landed carefully in a copse. The trees stood naked, and before her she saw a big castle, right beside a foaming sea. The smell of salt hit her, together with the cold wind, but she didn't care. She would bring an end to the people's suffering. Resolute she stepped out of the copse, and walked away to the gates of the castle. Hidden behind a boulder she saw guards in black armour leading men and women into the castle. Some screamed, terrified, others were so aching and bloody that they didn't have the power to make any resistance. The guards posted on each side of the gate inspected the prisoners, before nodding, laughing and pointing into the castle. Sandra's eyes followed the prisoners; saw the fear in their eyes. Then, suddenly, one of the male prisoners passed her hiding, and happened to throw a glance at her. Surprised, he stopped, and the guard pulled his arm. The man stood still. Sandra placed one finger over her lips, and the man nodded unnoticeable. With a knock in the prisoner's back head, the guard made him continue walking, and Sandra crawled away a bit. They would probably be more vigilant now. To pass them, she needed a weapon. What would protect her against the black steal? She looked around, and her gaze fell upon an old, broken spear, that some careless guard had thrown away. Sandra reached out her hand, and grabbed it. The feeling of evilness swallowed through her, and she turned up her nose at it. She would have to use a weapon of evilness to pass. With a low curse she grabbed the hold with both hands, and got to her feet. The man who had seen her before was now at the doors, and looked around when he heard the scattered gasps. Sandra had jumped over the row of blocks, and stood on the road with the broken spear in her hands. The guards with their prisoners looked confused. If they should attack the girl, they would have to release the prisoners, which were much forbidden. Instead it was the guards at the gates who finally left their posts, and walked at the girl with drawn swords.

"I'm here to meet Andernilwen!" she said in a high voice. The guards stopped. None of the citizens used the queen's name. Why did this girl? Was she completely out of her mind?

"You're just going to stand there?" the girl asked, spinning the broken spear in her hand. "I do not have the whole day."

These were the kind of situations that Sandra loved; when people fell for the power of words. The guards were completely speechless. Just the man in the front, the one who had discovered her, managed to give her a slight smile. After a while, several of the other prisoners smiled too, before the man suddenly kicked his guard. The guard bent double, gasping for air. The man drew a short knife, which he pushed into the guard's uncovered armpit. The guard fell down onto the ground, his dying body twitched. The prisoners sheered, and the guards did their best to get the free man. Sandra used the spear to cut down the closest guards, and several of the prisoners got free. She didn't really know why she chose to do this, but it was probably because of that the guards helped Andernilwen. The man in the front rushed towards her, and pulled her away from the road.

"Run!" he commanded.

"You're crazy?" Sandra exclaimed. "I'm not going anywhere until those guards have faced their destiny."

"Already done", the man grinned, as he grabbed her arm. "The others will take care of them."

"Who?" Sandra asked.

"The other magicians, of course", the man answered. "Come on now, we've got to hurry!"

He pulled her away from the castle and the see, right across the great, snow-covered fields. None of them saw the white-skinned woman in the castle's highest tower, who angrily looked after them.


	5. Meeting Peregrin

"Sandra, jag är hemma

"Sandra, I'm home!"

Routinely Lilith called her sister's name as she stepped inside the door. Usually the sister would show up to ask how school had been today, but this day was different. Already when Lilith opened the door she felt that something was wrong. That was probably the reason why she had yelled higher than she used to. Sandra still didn't show up. Lilith wrinkled her forehead as she pulled off her shoes and hang her jacket on the hook. The sister usually answered her, if she was in the bathroom or something like that. After throwing the bag onto her bed, she searched through the entire house. It was empty. In the kitchen she found traces after Sandra's breakfast, but no other meal. Had Sandra disappeared in the morning? Lilith tried not to go hyperneurotic. It wouldn't make anything better, but her brain had already taken one more step; had Sandra been kidnapped? After a while she managed to calm herself down with the explanation that the door had been locked. What kidnappers lock the door behind them? None that she had heard of. Since Sandra had been feeling better during the morning, she might have gone out somewhere. After all, the beginning of July was always warm and pleasant. Lilith sat down at the kitchen table and grabbed the paper. She froze, before rising and going back to the door. She quickly pulled on her shoes, went out through the door and slammed it shut behind her. Then she rushed towards the common land. The crowd was bigger than she had expected and she had to push her way through the mass of journalists. Two polices came to her at once.

"What do you want?" one of them asked sternly.

"I'm looking for my sister, Sandra Roberts", Lilith answered. "Have you seen her?"

The police raised one of his eyebrows, before sending the other one away.

"She was here this morning", he said in a low voice. "I'm Lincoln Atwood, constable."

"Lilith Roberts", Lilith answered and looked out across the field. "Where did she go after that?"

Atwood looked uncomfortable for a while, before he sighed.

"Jump in", he said. Lilith raised her eyebrows in surprise, before doing as he had said. The questions rained over them, but Atwood just led her towards the copse in silence.

When they where among the trees, he stopped.

"You see those trees over there?" he asked. "Those that seem to make a gateway?"

Lilith nodded.

"That's the mystical door that the paper wrote about", Atwood explained. "Your sister fell through it by an accident."

Lilith groaned. She should have seen it. Sandra had always been interested of anything magical and mystical and now when something like that had showed up so close to her home she had obviously decided to investigate it.

"She hasn't returned yet?" she asked after a while. Atwood shook his head.

"The press asks questions about it all the time, everyone wants to know if we've found her", he said and scratched his neck. "This should never have happened!"

Lilith looked at the trees, before picking up a stone and throwing it in between them. It disappeared, but she was almost sure that she had heard a voice saying 'ouch'.

"The only way is probably to pass through it", she said. "I can do it."

Before Atwood had the chance to answer, Lilith stepped forward and in between the trees. Stars passed her at high speed, before she was engulfed by a white light and landed on her knees on snow-covered ground. Muttering she stood up and looked around. The landscape was unfamiliar, covered in crystal-white snow and without any polluted air. Lilith took a deep breath, before placing her hands round her mouth and shaping them to a funnel.

"Sandra!"

The call resounded across the fields. She repeated it, but only received the echo as an answer. Irritated she put her hands on her hips and turned around. She took a few steps forward and expected to end up in the copse once again. Nothing happened. Surprised she turned again and took a few steps. Still the snow was all around her.

"Congratulations, Lilith, you've just achieved the price as the world's most stupid person", she muttered. A cold wind began to blow around her and she slapped herself to keep warm. It was a big difference to the warmth of Norwich. Suddenly she realised that someone was watching her and looked around. Behind a tree stood someone who, by his length, couldn't be older than nine or ten years. His bluegrey eyes turned open wide when he realised that he had been seen and he quickly took cover behind the tree. Lilith sighed and allowed her arms to hang straight down again.

"Hey? You're okay?"

She didn't get any answer. With a forehead that was a bit wrinkled she took a few steps towards the tree, before halting a few meters in front of it.

"I don't want to harm you, I promise", she said and squatted. "My name is Lilith Roberts."

Slowly the boy looked out from the tree again and now Lilith realised that he looked more like a very short man than a boy.

"Sure that… that you're not… not… well, you know… her…"

He pointed at a castle far away. Lilith wrinkled her forehead.

"Who lives there?" she asked.

"Ah, you're not her ally", the man said with a relieved sigh and stepped forward. He couldn't be more than a meter high, maybe a few centimetres more.

"I'm Peregrin Took", he said with a bow. Lilith looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What are you?" she asked.

"I?" Peregrin said and looked at her in surprise. "Ah, you refer to my length, right? Well, many haven't seen us; we stay in hiding, we hobbits, since she-over-there knows that we have… contacts, so to say."

"Hobbits?" Lilith said, confused. "I've never heard of hobbits before."

"I told you we stay in hiding", Peregrin said calmly. He swept his grey cloak closer around him in the rising wind.

"We better get away from here. A storm's coming and I think I know who sent it."

He pointed towards the castle, before walking into the forest again. Lilith slowly rose, but wasn't sure if she should follow him. Then Peregrin popped out his head again.

"Come on, unless you want to freeze to death", he said. Lilith sighed, before following him.

"What kind of land is this? Small people calling themselves hobbits, people who sends out storms, mystical doors who let people from other places pass…"

"What?"

Peregrin stopped, turned around and stared at her.

"You came through a _portal_?" he managed to say.

"A what?" Lilith asked. Peregrin shook his head.

"No time to explain, this can only mean one thing", he said and grabbed her arm, pulling her into a run beside him. "The time of Valinor has come and you're a part of it, which means she is after you and those that might be with you."

"Oh God, Sandra!" Lilith exclaimed, pulling back her arm. "If it's like you're saying, my sister's in danger."

"Do you know where she is?" Peregrin wondered.

"No, I have no idea", Lilith answered.

"Then I'm afraid we haven't got the time to look for her", Peregrin sighed. "Come on!"

He grabbed her arm again and together they rushed through the forest. The wind kept rising. After a while they had to shout to each other to make sure the other heard them.

"Is it far away?" Lilith called.

"Not too far", Peregrin answered. "We're keeping ourselves on a safe distance."

'Safe distance from what?" Lilith thought. She didn't know anything about this land, Valinor as Peregrin had called it, and now she ran for her life across it. Suddenly Peregrin stopped her and knocked on a broad root, half hidden beneath the snow. The combination of knocks and slaps was impossible for Lilith to remember, but suddenly the root slid aside and revealed a dark hole. A ladder lead down to it and Peregrin began to climb down immediately. Lilith hesitated, before following him. The root slid back in place after her.

When they reached the bottom of the hole, a long corridor was lighten up by torches in front of them. Peregrin lead her on, through sideways and crossings, before he stopped in front of a big door. He knocked another combination on it, before it was opened from the inside. Peregrin calmly lead Lilith inside the cave. When she turned her head to see the one who had opened up, there was no one there. Everything just made her more and more confused. With a wrinkled forehead she turned forward again and noticed a couple of obscured people around a table.

"Pippin, who's with you?" one of them asked.

"This is Lilith", Peregrin answered. "She and her sister came through a portal."

"What?"

The person stood up and the others 'round the table mumbled in another language.

"One good and one bad news then", the man who had risen said. "The Portalkeeper is near, but the portals also let others pass."

"I was just going to fetch my sister!" Lilith spit out. "Then I couldn't get back."

"Hold on, did you move from the place you landed on?" the man asked solemnly.

"No, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to find my way back", Lilith angrily answered.

"So the portals closed after bringing you and your sister here", the man said thoughtfully, before he sat down once again. Lilith raised her eyebrow in irritation, before looking at Peregrin. He shook his head in wonder.

"This is impossible!" he whispered.

"No, not impossible", the man sighed. "We knew that our rescue would come through the portals. Now two girls have arrived. A part of those who vanished."

"Part of who?" Lilith asked.

"A long time ago four queens ruled these countries", the man explained. "They saved more than one world from falling and we where some of their closest friends. Then, in a battle in the world Deverry, three of them where killed. Others killed returned here… but they didn't. They'd vanished. Then Andernilwen, the queen of ice who caused all this, took the throne and joined the four countries. We who stood against her created this Alliance, but we're losing many men since most of us are magicians."

"Why would that be a trouble?" Lilith wondered.

"Andernilwen captures the magicians, making them serve her", Pippin answered. "Through that she shows power and we don't want to harm our friends."

The man seemed to have more to say, but was interrupted by the door bursting open. About ten men and women walked into the room.

"Aragorn, the prophecy!" one of the women said to the man at the table. "It has come true!"

"What happened?" the man asked and stood up.

"We where rescued by a young girl", the woman answered. "She saved us all!"

"Have you seen her before?" Aragorn asked.

"No, she wore very strange clothes", was the answer. "She must have arrived through a portal."

"It must have been Sandra!" Lilith exclaimed. The new arrivals looked at her in surprise.

"Lilith came here through a portal", Aragorn explained. "She followed her sister… was Sandra her name?"

"Yes, Sandra Roberts", Lilith answered. "Where is she now?"

"Remus took her away from the castle before we had killed all the guards", the woman answered.

"Gods, the storm!" Peregrin exclaimed. "It must be after her! Andernilwen wants revenge!"

"They've probably found some shelter", Aragorn calmed. "We'll search for them when the wind's calmed down."

Lilith swallowed. What was going on?


	6. The Cave

The wind grew stronger as they ran

The wind grew stronger as they ran. Sandra looked behind them. Nobody seemed to follow. Why did they continue to run? She slowed her pace, before stopping. The man stopped a few meters in front of her.

"Why do we continue to run?" Sandra asked in a loud voice to make herself heard.

"Andernilwen's after us!" the man shouted. "Come on, we have to reach a safe place!"

"Nobody's following us!" Sandra shouted back.

"The storm's her work!" the man bellowed. "If we do not continue, we'll freeze to death!"

Sandra wrinkled her forehead in surprise, before a powerful wind hit her. Her ears rang and she felt that she was losing her toes and fingers to the cold.

"Maybe you're…" she began, before realising that the man had vanished. Frightened she stepped forward through the deep snow to the place where he had been and she saw that the man had made him fall into the white. With the strength she had left she managed to help him sit up. He was pale.

"We're… we're not… not…"

His teeth chattered so much that he couldn't speak.

"What direction?" Sandra called.

"S-south-w-we-west", the man managed to say.

"What direction? I have no idea where southwest is!"

The man raised a trembling finger, pointing the way. Sandra blew some air into her hands, before helping the man to his feet and placing one of his arms over her shoulders.

"We have to continue, you said it yourself!" she called in the wind. The man nodded and stumbled forwards. During a couple of minutes they fought the wind, before halting again.

"You're sure this is the right way?" Sandra called. The man looked worried. He didn't know anymore. Sandra let him down, her shoulders ached. Then she raised a finger. When she knew where the wind came from, she started to dig in the snow.

"It might give us some shelter!" she said in a loud voice. The man nodded and carefully began to help her get rid of the white. A small cave was shaped in the snow and they crept inside. Still the wind rang in their ears, but not as much as before.

"You've… done this… before?" the man managed to say as he warmed his hands.

"Only as a practice", Sandra answered. "I doubt Norwich will ever have this amount of snow."

"Norwich?" the man said in surprise. "You're from England?"

"Yes, do you know that land?" Sandra asked, also surprised.

"Just a part of it", the man answered. "I lived outside London for some time, but it's a long time ago. Long time before this dreadful winter."

"Let me guess", Sandra said. "Andernilwen has put a curse on this land making it always winter but never Christmas."

"How did you know?" the man asked, surprised.

"I read it in a book some time ago", Sandra answered.

"That Andernilwen…"

"No, some witch who put such a curse on a land", Sandra interrupted. "There was nothing about Andernilwen."

The man nodded.

"I'm Remus Lupin, by the way", he said.

"Sandra Roberts", Sandra answered and took his hand. He smiled at her, before they both pulled back and looked out into the storm.

"How long will it take before it goes away?" Sandra wondered.

"Maybe days, until Andernilwen believes we're dead", Remus answered solemnly. "No one knows when that happens."

Sandra nodded. The snow blew past them. She was glad she'd been on that survival course two years ago, otherwise they would be dead.

"Why did they lead you to the castle?" she asked after a while.

"I'm a magician", Remus answered solemnly. "Andernilwen hunts us."

"Why?" Sandra asked and looked at him.

"By using her own magic she can make us magicians do things, if we're close to her. She can make us kill our own friends. The only thing she hasn't been able to do yet is to find out where the Alliance is hiding."

"The Alliance?" Sandra said in surprise.

"We go against Andernilwen", Remus explained. "Yet we haven't won too much, I guess we need some more help."

Sandra wrinkled her forehead. Her dreams came back. Someone had called for her help. Then, when she had passed through the Universe's Door, someone had been talking about getting help. She had heard the name of one of the brothers. What was it again?

"Olórin", she said after a while.

"What?"

Sandra looked at Remus.

"One of the Alliance's members, is he called Olórin and also has a brother?" Sandra asked.

"How did you know that?" Remus asked, surprised.

"He…"

She hesitated. The snow above them moved. A low rumble was heard.

"Take a deep breath!"

Both of them took a deep breath, before the snow fell down over them. First everything was white, then it slowly turned black.

The snow-white stallion snorted in the wind. His rider had been at one of the farms and left some weeds, but now they where on their way home. Something made him worried. The storm had come quickly, which could only mean that it was Andernilwen who had made it. It was who it had been after that worried the stallion. Before they had only had a few storms of this power, when a magician had fled from Andernilwen's jaws. Suddenly the stallion halted. He drew in a smell through his nostrils, a smell that somehow felt familiar.

"What is it?" the old man on his back asked. The stallion shook his head, before he sniffed in the snow before his hoofs. The man on his back wrinkled his forehead, jumped off and took a few steps forward. Before them was a small hollow in the snow. It hadn't been there when they left for the farms.

"What may have shaped it?" the man wondered thoughtfully, before he noticed that the stallion kept sniffing in the snow.

"Is there someone here?" he asked. The stallion lowered his head, which made the man begin digging in the snow with his hand. When he had dogged about ten centimetres down into the hollow he discovered golden-blond, thick wavy hair embed in the snow.

"There's someone here!" he exclaimed. The stallion snorted, before he once again sniffed in the snow. With one of his front hoofs he pulled away some snow, making another head showing up.

"There are _two_ of them!" the man exclaimed. "Come on, dig!"

The stallion kept pushing away snow, while the old man continued in front of him. He wondered who it was that lay here, knocked over by the snowstorm that now begun to diminish. The stallion snorted again and the man looked up. The person that the stallion had managed to dig up was familiar for both of them.

"Remus!" the old man said in surprise. "I though he had been…"

He hesitated. The face of the person in front of him was now visible in front of him. It was a young girl, totally non-familiar to him. He wrinkled his forehead and continued digging. The stallion had managed to dig out Remus. How he had done it without harming the younger man with his sharp hoofs was a riddle that would remain unsolved until the end of time.

"We'll put them both on your back, Shadowfax", the man said and lifted the girl out of the snow. "Then we'll have to walk the rest of the way."

The stallion snorted, irritated. He wanted to come home quickly, not be led like some kind of a pack-ass.

"We have no choice, Shadowfax", the old man said as he placed the girl across the snow-white horseback. "You can't carry three persons."

Shadowfax snorted once again.

"Oh, so you think you _can_ carry three persons?" the man said with a raised eyebrow. "We can try it for a while, but don't you dare blame me for muscular pain during the next few days."

He placed Remus on the horseback, before getting up behind them. The stallion moaned beneath them, before he straightened himself and began to walk forward. The old man shook his head. Shadowfax could be really stubborn sometimes. Even though the old man knew that this stallion was the strongest of all horses here, he sometimes made his burden too heavy. While they walked forward through the snow the man looked at the girl in front of him. Who was she? Why had she and Remus been hidden beneath the snow? Had she something to do with the storm?

"Shadowfax!" he called out. "Can you manage to canter?"

The stallion responded with going forward in higher speed. The old man held on tight to the unconscious individuals in front of him, while he felt a shiver down his spine. The girl in front of him came with a change.


	7. The Brothers

Warmth crept back into her body and she carefully opened her eyes

Warmth crept back into her body and she carefully opened her eyes. She was in a bed down in some underground room. A fire burned at the opposite wall, on hooks on the wall where clothes that she'd never seen before. Otherwise, the room was thrifty furnished, with a small table and a couple of chairs made of coarse-cut wood. Next to her bed was a three-legged stool where someone had placed a plate of soup and a glass of crystal-clear water. Carefully she took some soup on a wooden spoon, blew on it and tasted. It was really good. She'd never liked soup before.

After finishing her soup and drunk the water she put her feet on the soil-floor. Her gym shoes stood by the fire, still soaking wet. She found a pair of boots next to the wall and quickly put her feet into them. Then she looked around the room. Now she looked really carefully on all the details, on the few books that lay on the table and the almost burned-down candle. There where also several pots and leather bags with weeds. On the table was also a notebook with old, fading papers and a quill in an inkwell next to it. She wrinkled her forehead, before placing herself at the table. When she browsed through the book she realised that it was empty!

"What the…" she muttered, before she looked through it once again. Not a single word. It was almost like someone wanted her to write someone on the spread page. Slightly uncertain she grabbed the quill, took a deep breath and placed the point on the top of the left page.

"My name is Sandra", she mumbled as she wrote down the words. Then she leaned back and looked at them. Gasping she saw how they faded and disappeared in the pages. Instead, new words showed up.

_Good day Sandra, my name is Galrion. I'm a healer._

Sandra stared at the words. Galrion? Who the hell was that? Somehow, the name was familiar. After a while, she once again placed the quill on the paper.

_Where is Remus Lupin?_

The words faded away and where replaced by Galrion's answer.

_He's resting in another room, but he'll be better very soon._

_It was my brother who found you in the snow._

Sandra gasped again. Galrion had a brother, he knew Remus. Where these two members from the Alliance? Could it be… she had to know.

_Is your brother named Olórin?_

The words slowly faded, but weren't replaced by new ones. Sandra sighed. Of course, they didn't want to reveal anything to people they didn't know.

_Why do you wish to know that?_

Sandra nodded at the words, she'd been right. Now she immediately placed the quill on the paper and wrote down her answer.

_I came here from Candracar, through the Universe's Door. There I heard how Olórin and his brother fought about if they should open a portal._

The words faded, before the book snapped shut. Sandra snatched in surprise.

"How uncivilized", she muttred. Then she rose and went to the fire. Mostly because she wanted to do something she placed a new log among the flames. That was when she thought she saw something moving there, among the blazes. With her forehead wrinkled she bend forward. It looked like small, humanlike creatures, but still they where un-human. She shook her head. Was she going mad? That was when the door burst open and two old men came inside. Sandra jumped to her feet. One of them had long white beard and hair, also his clothing and cloak where white and in a black belt was a long sword. In his right hand he held a staff, also white. The second man had also got white hair, but no beard and he was dressed in grey trousers held up by a brown belt. The shirt was grey as dirt and he also whore a long, brown coat. Except for a short knife he seemed unarmed.

"Don't be afraid", the one without beard said. "My name's Galrion."

"I am Olórin", the other man said. "How could you've heard when we fought?"

"It… well, it was an accident", Sandra answered and scratched her neck. "I fell through a portal in my hometown, Norwich, and ended up in Candracar. From there I was supposed to get back by using the Universe's Door, but I lost my concentration when I heard someone calling for help. After what I thought was a nightmare I heard you two."

"How did you get here after that?" Galrion asked and sat down at the table.

"I repeated the words that you said, those that open a portal", Sandra answered. The men stared at her as if she'd gone mad.

"You… you did… what?" Galrion managed to say.

"I repeated the words…" Sandra began.

"So you opened a portal?" Olórin said and tried to mask his surprise.

"I said that, didn't I?" Sandra answered. Olórin inhaled a deep breath, before also he sat down at the table. He leaned heavily on his staff.

"You're the Portalkeeper", he said quietly.

"I doubt it", Sandra protested. "Then you'll have to be a witch or a wizard…"

"A magician", Galrion corrected. "Witch and wizard are the names of magicians that have passed to the dark side. Those who are still in the light are magicians."

"Very well, but if someone's the Portalkeeper that person has to be a magician", Sandra said and placed her hands on her hips.

"True", Galrion admitted and rose. "Only a magician can be the Portalkeeper…"

He approached Sandra and looked calmly into her eyes.

"Only a magician can open a portal", he continued. Sandra winked in surprise. Did he state that she was a magician?

"This is impossible. I'm just a girl from Norwich."

"Here."

Olórin had risen and now stretched an object to her, a thin object wrapped in some old, brown cloth. Bewildered she took it and took away the fabric. A shining silverflute now lay on her lap.

"A flute?" she said and looked at Olórin.

"You're the girl that I've felt when I've been looking for help", Olórin said solemnly. "I've heard you play, so this might help you feel at home until we can get you back home."

"You've heard me play?" Sandra managed to say. She was a flutist with several concerts behind her, but when she played at home she didn't want anyone to listen.

"Sandra, don't worry", Olórin calmed. "You're the best flutist that I've heard since this was used last time, by one of the queens."

For a moment Sandra thought she saw sadness in the men's eyes, but it was gone so quick that she assumed it was imagination. Carefully she took the flute in her hands and placed it at her mouth. When she blew it not just one tone came, but a whole chord! Frightened she stopped blowing.

"How did…?" she said in surprise.

"It's magical", Galrion answered with a smile. "You can play anything on it and make more than just one tone. When you've used it for a while you can even change the sound to other instruments."

Sandra raised her eyebrow in surprise, before she once again blew into the flute. She realised that the other instruments that she thought about where also audible. How was that possible? Galrion had said that it only happened when she'd used it for a while. She looked at the two men and saw that also they where surprised about it. Sandra stopped blowing, but then found out a new song and once again lifted the flute. Now came the sound of drums and violins and winds that whined across the fields, then came the wind-instruments. The old men where charmed until she finally took away the flute.

"That was… wonderful", Olórin said and wiped away a tear. Galrion just nodded.

"Thanks", Sandra mumbled and put the flute on the table. "Now you have to explain what you need some help with."


	8. The Golden Sword

"So you're going to help us

"So you're going to help us?" Galrion asked.

"I haven't said that", Sandra calmly answered. "If I shall, then I have to find out what it is that you want me to help you with."

"True", Olórin agreed. He signed to Sandra that she should sit down as he rose.

"A long time ago, I believe it's been 2000 years, there was a girl named Freedom", he began. "She was the daughter of Aslan, the great lion, and the right heir to the throne of Valinor. Like a light makes a shadow the dark creatures came into this land, Valinor, as soon as she was crowned. But she was brave and fought them. That also her heirs did when they got the throne."

"When Freedom was about 200 years old she accepted a mission in mine and Olórin's homeland, Deverry", Galrion continued. "The enemy was superior and won battle after battle. In one of these battles the enemy killed two of Freedom's best friends. In another one, Olórin was killed."

"But that can't be true", Sandra exclaimed. "Olórin stands right here!"

"None of us know why it happened, but I returned here even though I shouldn't have", Olórin answered. "Anyway, when Freedom saw those closest to her being killed she didn't want to live anymore. You could say that she allowed the enemy to kill her."

"Didn't she return, like you did?" Sandra asked. Olórin sadly shook his head.

"No, she didn't return. Neither did her friends."

"About 1000 years from now one of the queens didn't get any female heiress, which is necessary for the survival of Valinor, and she had to marry one of the princes with the princess of the Emerald, the forestland", Galrion narrated. "With her the princess brought her councillor, Andena. Just weeks after the wedding an army dressed as Valinor's attacked the two other countries, the Crystal and the Ruby. The royal families decided to talk some sense with the new king, but where killed along the way. Also the royal family in Valinor's castle where killed and the councillor showed who she was, the icemagician Andernilwen."

"Didn't you just say that only the good ones are called magicians?" Sandra asked.

"True", Olórin nodded. "Andernilwen is an exception. She was _born_ evil, that's why she's called a magician. Only if you _turn_ you change from magician to witch or wizard."

Sandra nodded, she understood what they meant.

"Andernilwen knew that the magicians would be her greatest enemies, but realised that they could also be an advantage", Galrion continued. "That's why she began to capture magicians, magicians from all the four countries. To suffocate also the people's will to fight her she made the snow fall forever."

"So that snow's been there for 1000 years?" Sandra said, surprised.

"It's renewed all the time", Olórin explained.

"How come you've not been captured?" Sandra asked. The brothers looked at one another.

"I've realised that you're magicians", Sandra muttred. "Answer my question, please."

"We do not know", Galrion answered. "Personally I think it's the Alliance that protects us so well."

"So you're members of the Alliance?" Sandra asked. The men nodded.

"Remus too?" Sandra continued. Another nod.

"It's quite a miracle that you managed to help him and the others escape", Olórin said. "No one's ever done that before."

"I believe it was surprise that gave me and Remus the advantage", Sandra calmly said. Galrion nodded thoughtfully. At the same moment the door opened and Remus stepped inside.

"How are you?" Sandra asked and rose. He smiled weakly.

"I'm fine, thanks", he answered. "But I have to leave after the meeting tonight. If I manage to get across the border I'll be safe for the next couple of days."

"The meeting?"

Sandra looked surprised at Remus, before she looked at the elder magicians.

"The Alliance has a meeting tonight", Galrion answered. "In a secret glade."

"If we'll make it there, we better leave soon", Olórin said. Remus nodded. Sandra looked at them one by one.

"Do you want me to come along?" she asked.

"Of course", Remus answered. "It was you who saved about one hundred magicians from Andernilwen. Everyone would want to meet you."

Sandra nodded solemnly. Of course, if savings where that unusual people would like to meet the one who managed to carry them out.

"I could never have done it without you", she said after a while. Remus smiled briefly.

"I'm not so sure, the only thing I did was to take advantage of the situation", he answered. "You didn't have any time to go through with your own plan."

Sandra grimaced.

"Honestly, I didn't have a plan."

The men smiled as if they understood her, before Galrion looked out through the door.

"It's time", he said. "Sandra, take that cloak on. It's pretty cold outside."

Sandra did as he said and put on the brown and grey cloak. Then all four of them left the room.

They went through a long, underground corridor lighten up by white balls. Sandra had no idea how long they'd walked when they suddenly stopped. Olórin raised his staff and knocked with it on the roof. Then a ladder slid down to them. With her forehead wrinkled Sandra climbed up after the magician. They now entered another corridor, this one lightened up by torches.

"Pull up your hood", Galrion mumbled to Sandra. She did as he said as they came out in another corridor. Now people passed them and greeted them with nods, but no one seemed to see Sandra. She was glad about it. Olórin turned into a new corridor and stopped.

"We'll have to run for some metres", he said in a low voice. Sandra swallowed. She'd never been too good at running, especially not since she injured her knee three years ago. Now she had to. The older men began to run through the corridor, as easily as any trained men. Remus and Sandra ran in a slower pace.

"Why… do we have… to run?" Sandra asked.

"It's a… magical… wall", Remus answered, before he suddenly fell forward. Sandra stopped. The man tried to get back onto his feet, but fell down with a low moan. Both of the elder men had already disappeared.

"Continue without me", Remus said. "I'll… be fine."

He whined and sank down on the floor.

"I won't leave you", Sandra said. With all the strength she could use she pulled him up and helped him forward. He whined every time he put down his left foot.

"You have to continue, Sandra", he whispered. "I can't…"

"I wouldn't leave you if it was between you and this country", Sandra muttred. "Come on!"

They hadn't come far before they walked into a solid wall. Sandra said a quite curse.

"Is this the magical wall?" she asked. Remus nodded. With a small sigh she allowed him to sit down, before she touched the earth with her hand.

"My hand pricks", she said in a low voice. "Really magical."

"Sandra!"

The call came from the other side of the wall. She stopped.

"Olórin?" she said in a loud voice.

"What happened?" the magician asked.

"Remus is injured", Sandra answered. "We can't get through."

"Leave Remus, he'll be alright", Olórin called back.

"Not for this whole land of Valinor", Sandra answered and stepped back. "Damn wall, go away!"

She gasped as the wall disappeared in front of her. Remus and the elder magicians stared at the new emptiness.

"Okay, maybe I have some kind of power", Sandra carefully said.

"I believe that 'some kind of power' is the wrong way of describing it", Olórin said with a smile. "You truly are the right person."

Sandra didn't answer; she just helped Remus to stand up and walked across the place where the wall had been. When they'd passed, the wall came back behind them.

"It might have been some kind of a password as well", Sandra said when she saw the wall behind her.

"Maybe", Galrion agreed. Sandra felt that he didn't believe it, he believed that the girl in front of him carried some power. She didn't believe it though, it was absurd. She, a girl from Norwish, couldn't possible carry some power that was used in this world. No way! In front of her Olórin disappeared up a ladder. Galrion followed, but stopped halfway up to help Remus. Sandra came after and helped him from behind.

When they came out in the cool nightair she felt the tense disappear. They could believe what they wanted to believe, she was still herself. Olórin led them out into a snowcovered glade. There where several people, most of them had hoods that covered their faces. Some showed who they where, but Sandra didn't look at them. Still, she wondered who they where. Olórin and Galrion seemed calm, just like Remus. Suddenly one of the elder magicians stopped. They where in the middle of a circle made of the people. A man with dark hair and greyblue eyes stepped forward. After him came a shorter person with the face hidden.

"We can't have two chosen ones", he said solemnly to Olórin.

"Who do you bring?" Olórin asked.

"She came through a portal", the man answered.

"So did our chosen one", Galrion said solemnly. "She opened it herself."

"That gives her a lead", the man admitted. "Is she willing to try?"

Sandra wrinkled her forehead. What did they talk about?

"Excuse me?" she said. "What are you talking about?"

"I was about to ask the same", the other girl said. Sandra recognized her voice.

"One of you is the chosen one, the person who can wield the Golden Sword", Olórin answered. He moved a bit and pointed at a long sword placed in a rock. Sandra gasped and took a step backwards. She recognized it, it was the sword that she had seen on the painting in Candracar.

"_That_ sword?" she whispered.

"Why do someone decorate a sword with gems?" the girl next to her muttered.

"Shut up, L", Sandra muttered without thinking. The girl twitched.

"Sandra?" she said, surprised.

"Lilith?"

They pulled off their hoods and stared at one another.

"Okay, so you're also a part of this weird dream?" Lilith said with a grin.

"I'm afraid that this isn't a dream, sis, but I have to admit that it's a bit confusing", Sandra answered with a smile.

"Do you know each other?" Olórin asked.

"True, she's my sister", Sandra answered. Galrion seemed to have something to say, but a glance from Olórin kept him silent.

"Well, should we pull out that sword?" Lilith asked.

"I'll give it a try", Sandra said. The others stepped aside and left her alone with the sword. She walked up to it with tense steps and a heart that pounded in her throat. Finally it was within reach. Slowly she reached out and touched the hilt. The warmth she'd felt in Candracar came back and she snatched, but then allowed her hand to slid upwards and grab the sword. A gigantic wave of fire came up from the rock and surrounded her. By some reason she wasn't afraid. She lost herself in the sword's warmth and safety. Then she saw it, Valinor as it had been before Andernilwen had transformed it. Wide green fields lay before her, just a few steps away. Far away lay the ocean and everywhere she saw animals and creatures. Without moving she got closer to the sea and saw the castle where she'd met Remus. In this picture it was built of beautiful, shimmering stones. The roofs glimmered in the sun and instead of a line with prisoners outside the gate was a line of people that wanted to see the queen. Down on the beach laid mermaids with their fins in the water and collected shells that they put in their hairs. Soldiers that passed them greeted them, which made them giggle and wave.

"Sandra!"

The call made her turn. Through the fire she saw Olórin looking at her. By some reason, the man didn't sound right. When she thought about Galrion that wasn't right either. Why? She looked at the sword again, before grabbing it with both hands and pulling it out from the rock without problems. The fire disappeared and she was back in the cold nightair. Everyone stared at her and the sword.

"Gods, you did it!" Galrion exclaimed. Sandra didn't answer, she allowed the sword to rest in her hands for a moment before she looked at Olórin.

"Who shall have it?" she asked.

"You", Olórin answered. Sandra stared at him, before laughing nervously.

"You're kidding. I mean, I can't use a sword. Also, I can't kill anyone."

"Sandra, you're not the one with bloodfright", Lilith said. "At least you can look at different shows where there are blood."

Sandra didn't answer, she just dropped the sword to the ground.

"I can't", she said quietly. "You have to find another chosen one."

"There is just one", Galrion solemnly said. "That person is you."

"Listen to me, I can't!" Sandra called out. Lilith stepped up in front of her sister and placed herself like a shield. Why did she compare her with a shield? A shield wasn't anything living. For her inner gaze she saw the woman on the painting in Candracar and how she made a shield out of a golden fire, the same fire that had come out of the rock, and how it placed itself to shield her. Sandra gasped and stumbled backwards.

"Sandra?"

Lilith had turned and looked at her sister. Why did it feel wrong to call her that? Sandra looked around. Nothing was like before.

"You're okay?"

Lilith looked worried. Sandra nodded solemnly, before looking at Olórin. He hadn't said anything for a while now.

"Who are you?" she asked. He raised his eyebrow.

"Remus has told me his right name, but you haven't and neither have someone else", Sandra continued.

"What tells you this?" Olórin asked. Sandra opened her mouth to answer, but then realised that she didn't know. She shook her head.

"I don't know, it…"

"We haven't dared to say it just in case you where someone else than we hoped", Olórin said. "I am Gandalf, by the elves I'm called Mithrandir."

It sounded better. Why? Sandra didn't know.

"Who created this sword?" she asked. Inside she knew the answer before Gandalf said it.

"Freedom, daughter of Aslan, the great lion."

Sandra nodded. Then she reached down and picked up the sword again.

"I'm not saying that I'll use it, but I'll take care of it", she said calmly. Gandalf nodded.

"I've never understood you", Lilith muttered. Sandra smiled.

"Sometimes it's hard to understand yourself", she answered. They used to say that quite often, none of them knew why. Galrion stepped forward and gave Sandra a sheath to carry the sword in. She took it and met his gaze. For a few moments it was like he looked right into her soul, before he broke the contact and went back to his place. Sandra opened her mouth to call him back, but then closed it when she realised she didn't know why.


End file.
